A method for forming a pattern on a surface of a metal, a semiconductor, glass, or an oxide, that is, a surface patterning technique, is one of industrial core technologies which may be applied to various purposes from a semiconductor industry to displays, vehicles, human body medical industries, and furthermore to aerospace industries.
The surface patterning technique up to date has been mainly achieved by photolithography using a polymer thin film as a photoresist. The photolithography refers to a method of manufacturing a photoresist pattern on a substrate by preparing a thin film by spin coating a photoresist on a flat substrate, placing a photomask thereon, and irradiating light of an appropriate wavelength for a certain period of time to selectively leave the photoresist thereon or remove the photoresist therefrom. The photolithography may repeatedly transfer a pattern of having a size of a photomask mold on the desired substrate, and the photolithography enables manufacture of a nanosized pattern.
However, the manufacture of the photomask costs great expense, several processes are needed to obtain a desired pattern, and since a light-sensitive photoresist is used, a region may be contaminated without intention. Also, high vacuum is required in the general deposition process, and thus a high expense is needed in purchase of the equipment and environmental pollution may generate due to a toxic solvent used in the etching process.
Therefore, a method for forming a pattern with reduced cost and time is needed, where the method is simple in its process and environmental friendly.